October Inside this Issue: By Craig Thompson

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1 October 2017 From the Pastor s Desk It was the poster that changed the world. Five hundred years ago this October 31st, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther s document was posted as a protest against abusive practices by preachers who were selling indulgences, which were certidicates that were believed to offer atonement for sin. History suggests that Luther s goal in posting his treatise was to spark theological debate within the church, and hopefully see repentance from those he believed were acting against the pope and the Catholic Church in the sale of indulgences. What Luther did not know is that those who were selling indulgences were acting on the orders of the pope and of the church hierarchy. Luther s effort to create an internal debate sparked a revolution that saw the recovery of the gospel and a split within the church that has never been healed. As the Reformation grew and matured, the rallying cry of the Reformers was distilled into what we now call the Five Solas of the Reformation. Sola is a Latin word that means alone. In response to the Catholic Church, the Reformers proclaimed that salvation is through Scripture alone, through faith alone, by grace alone, by Jesus alone, to the glory of God alone. The work of salvation is not for sale through indulgences, it does not need the blessing of any man, and it cannot be earned through our works. Salvation is a gift of God, through the shed blood of Jesus, to the Glory of God. During the month of October, in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, I will be preaching through the Dive solas of the reformation. My By Craig Thompson goal is not only to celebrate the work of Luther and other reformers, but to celebrate the gospel of Jesus. We should regularly redlect upon the glory that is the gospel and the amazing work that God does through the salvation of sinners. I pray that through these sermons, we will all develop a deeper understanding of salvation and a deeper appreciation for the work of salvation in our lives. I also pray that God will use these sermons to spur us on toward evangelism as we seek out the salvation of others. The Protestant Reformation was a movement to recapture the gospel and restore it to its rightful place in the center of Christ s church. The greatest honor we can pay to those who gave their lives for Christ and his church during the Reformation is to keep the Word of God in the center of our lives, the gospel on our lips, and the glory of God as our greatest motivation. Soli Deo Gloria (To God Be The Glory)! Inside this Issue: Special Events Missions Pro3ile: OCC Prime Timers Ministry Children s Ministry Upcoming Events Generation 180 Ministry Music Ministry Calendar, Birthdays, and Anniversaries... 7

2 From the Library It is rare for history, especially church history, to be appetizing reading for most people. Historians seem to have the uncanny ability to make even the most exciting events in history something much less than enjoyable when reading about them. Stephen J. Nichols, however, has done a great job at reversing this trend with his book on the Protestant Reformation, The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World. Beginning with Martin Luther and working his way through the Reformation, Nichols presents pictures of the reformers that are both accurate and enjoyable with chapter titles that include, Some Middle-Aged Men and a Sausage Supper: Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation. In less that 150 pages, Nichols gives an enjoyable introduction to the Reformation that is approachable by all and can be enjoyed by educated and uneducated alike. Interestingly, Nichols uses the last chapter of his book to tell the untold story of women and the reformation. Noteworthy from this section are Lady Jane Grey s words before her accusers regarding the doctrine of JustiDication by Faith. Her accuser pressured her to admit that good works were a necessary component of salvation and that belief alone is not sufdicient. Lady Jane Grey replied: I deny that, and afkirm that faith only saves; but it is meet for a Christian to do good works, in token that he follows the steps of his Master, Christ, yet may we not say that we prokit to our salvation; for when we have done all, we are unprokitable servants, and faith only in Christ s blood saves us. Nichols tells us that Jane Grey would die a martyr s death two days later, at the age of 16, with these last words, I here die a true Christian woman and I trust to be saved by the blood of Christ, and by none other means. Nichols does more than merely recount the events of the reformation, he draws the reader into the reformation, living vicariously through the characters and the events. This is an enjoyable and educational read that I strongly recommend. By Craig Thompson

3 Mission Emphasis: Christmas Child Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-dilled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories. For many of these children, the gift-dilled shoebox is the Dirst gift they have ever received. Since 1993, more than 7.4 million children have participated in The Greatest Journey, Operation Christmas Child s follow- up program that is offered to many children who receive shoebox gifts. The Greatest Journey is implemented through a global church network. This 12-lesson discipleship program teaches children about God s amazing love and guides them through what it means to faithfully follow Jesus Christ. Some items you may want to include in your Operation Child Shoebox are: Toys- medium to large items such as a soccer ball with a pump, stuffed animal, baby doll, toy truck, musical instruments, or clothing items School Supplies- pens, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, notebooks, and solar calculators Non-liquid hygiene items- toothbrush and toothpaste, bar soap, wash cloths, comb or brush Accessories- sunglasses, hair clips, watches, Dlashlights and batteries A personal note and a picture of you and/or your family Please do not include candy, toothpaste, used or damaged items, war- related items, chocolate or food, fruit snacks or drink mixes, liquids or lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable items, or aerosol cans. For more information, visit samaritanspurse.org and plan to join us when we kick-off our shoe box collection on Sunday, October 15 during the morning worship service. Prime Timers Ministry What a tremendous effort of service from our church with our 16th Senior Adult Fair. There are so many to thank, but let me start with our Senior Adult Ministry Team who served and helped plan our fair. Great job! Then there is the help and support of our staff: Pastor Craig, Ginger, and we even broke in Brother Keven. Many of our church folks jumped in with help throughout the day, and I can t forget about all those great desserts. Thank you, thank you. Don t blink your eyes, because it s October and we are off! Probably by the time you receive this newsletter we will be in Kentucky at the Ark and Creation Museum with 24 of our seniors. Please be in prayer for safety as we travel, but even greater, pray that God will use this trip to inspire and encourage us in our faith. All the folks I have talked with that have been have told me that it s a powerful experience of the might and power of our God and assurance of the biblical view of creation. October will be a busy time for our seniors, but it is also an exciting time as God blesses. Let me also remind you of our Fall Festival on Tuesday, October, 6:00-8:00 PM. We could really use your help. 3 By Buster Morris October Prime Timer Events No Breakfast This Month Oct. 2-5, Ark Trip Thursday Oct 12, 2:30 PM - Karesh Wing Ministry Thursday Oct.19, 6:00 PM - Senior Supper Tuesday, October 24, 8:00 AM - Apple Trip Thursday Thursday, October 26, 2:30 PM - Springdale Ministry October 31, 6:00-8:00 PM - Fall Festival

4 Children s Ministry This is an overview of our recent children s ministry and parents meeting in September. Our ministry is built around Luke 2:52, And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people, as this verse shows the development of Jesus intellectually, socially, and spiritually. The verse that the children focus on is, He said to him, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind. Matthew 22:37 A 2005 study showed that approximately 50% of this nation s 13 year olds had no absolute standards. When the standards of determining the truth decline, chaos reigns. It is our goal to partner with parents while never taking over their God-given role. We attempt to plan in such a way that every time children meet during the week, the focus will be on something different. There, of course, is some overlap, and this is truer with the preschoolers than with the school age children. The following is a brief description of what each age group is doing during the various programs. Life Groups Sunday at 9:15 AM K5 through 5th Grades Curriculum Lifeway s The Gospel Project Children are divided into 3 age groups. They meet as a large group and as small groups during this time. They are learning the chronological order of the Bible. This curriculum has a heavy emphasis on how Christ Dits into the entire Bible. It uses a short video segment. Preschoolers Curriculum Lifeway s Bible Studies For Life This curriculum teaches the 10 concept areas. It is a 3 year study plan. It is heavy on life application. 2s and Younger - Childcare Worship Sunday at 10:30 AM Preschoolers (3 and 4 year olds) Curriculum Group Publishing Hands-on By Rhonda Adams Preschoolers learn to connect scripture with everyday life. They are taught using the 5 senses. 2s and Younger Childcare Children s Choir Sunday at 6:00 PM Preschool through 5th Grades The children are divided into preschoolers and school age children. The hour is divided through rotation into music, Bible study, recreation, and snack time. 2s and Younger Childcare Kids for Christ Wednesday at 6:00 PM K5 through 5th Grades: Bible Club The children memorize scripture. They learn about missions and do mission s projects. They learn foundational Bible events. They make some of the decisions of the children s ministry. They learn age appropriate apologetics. Preschoolers Curriculum Lifeway s Explore the Bible The curriculum is broadly graded. The children study from all the books of the Bible in a 3 year time span. 2s and Younger Childcare Upcoming Events October 31 Fall Festival November Children s Ministry Lunch and Teacher Training K5 through 5th Grades Our time together is based on Craig s sermon for the morning. We use scripture, video segments, object lessons, Bible skills, occasional skits, and worship songs. 4

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6 Ministry (Student Ministry) LifeWay Research s Teen Drop Out Study (2007) showed that seventy percent of teens who attended a Protestant church regularly (twice a month or more) in high school stopped attending church regularly for at least one year between the ages of Data from the Annual Cooperative Institutional Research Program reveals that the number of incoming college freshmen who say they are nonreligious has tripled in the last 30 years to 31 percent today. What s a parent to do? 1. Remember the importance of church. Being a part of a church is God s plan for our personal spiritual growth and for the growth of others. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Acts 2:42 2. Model love and commitment to the church. The 30 percent of students who stayed in church during their teen and young adult years reported having parents who attended church and genuinely liked it. Teens need to hear positive words about church spoken around them and to them. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. Colossians 4:6 3. Help your teen see how church is bene3icial to them. Of the 30% of teens who stayed in church, 65% of them saw church as vital to their relationship with God. Fifty-eight percent stayed to receive guidance for decisions, and 50 percent felt that church helped them become a better person. As our teens develop, we should help them recognize and share their meaningful experiences and growth points. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I put aside childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11 As parents, we want God s best for our kids. Attending a life-giving church is a huge step in that process. To read the entire article, pick up a copy of Parenting Teens in your LifeGroup. If you would like to receive Parenting Teens monthly, let your LifeGroup leader know. Music Ministry The book of Revelation records the Saints and angels gathered around the throne of God crying out in worship. Paul described worship in Philippians 3 as worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus that puts no condidence in the Dlesh. Jesus himself taught us in John 4 to worship in spirit and in truth. The psalmist declares that all the earth worships the Lord and that everything that has breath should praise the Lord. Isaiah prophesied in chapter 45 that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, a sentiment quoted by Paul in Romans 14 and explained further in Philippians 2 when he said every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth. David danced. The Levites sang. The people stood for hours to hear the words of God read. Abraham was willing to sacridice his own son if God required it of him. Moses removed his sandals. Joshua fell Dlat upon his face. Jacob wrestled with God deep into the night. Daniel bowed before God in private three times a day. The King of Nineveh rose from his throne to kneel in the streets wearing sackcloth and ashes alongside all of his subjects. Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted, and 6 By Keven Newsome prayed for three days. The entire nation of Israel sang a new song after being saved from Pharaoh, as the women danced and played tambourines. And the Dirst recorded instance of worship happened when Noah built an altar to God, thanking him for their salvation. There is none like our God. No deed of humanity could ever be sufdicient for God s greatness. God is so amazing, so powerful, so wonderful, so merciful, so loving, that the least we could ever give him is everything. He deserves our everything and more. He deserves our hearts, our minds, our speech, our Dinances, and our time as acts of worship. If we even withhold one stray thought from God, then we have not given him what he deserves. I am thrilled to be returning to worship leadership in my journey of serving God, and it is evident that Malvern Hill is a place that understands the importance of worship. We are excited to be a part of this church body. My prayer is that we will grow together in our commitment to worship as we grow together as a family.

7 OCTOBER 2017 sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday Finance Committee Mtg. Deacons' Mtg Love, Serve, Give Karesh Wing Operation Christmas Child Kickoff Creation Museum Trip Mission Bible Study Mission Prayer Group Women s Christmas Craft Party Senior Supper Breakfast and the Bible Happy Birthday 10/1 Bella Bennett 10/2 Will Mathis Madison Williams 10/4 Brooke Jordan Joshua Taylor 10/5 Patty Haudenshild 10/7 Jenny Branham Jim Mathis 10/8 Stacy McCaskill 10/9 Mary Andrews 10/11 Grace Holden 10/12 Olivia Arrington Pam Childers Billy Sparks Linda Branham 10/13 Haven Thomas Brody Dowey Carson Holden Lindsey Spitzer 10/15 Ella Brinson 10/17 Gage Thomas 10/18 Caroline Tolbert Ryan Davis 10/20 Hank Tarte Wes Carter 10/21 Ashley Elliott Wayne Watts James Brinson 10/22 Easton Colvin Ally Stephens 10/23 Brynna Chestnut Libby Cunningham 10/25 Ginger Chestnut 10/26 Buster Morris 10/27 Gail Carter Spencer Hancock 10/28 Maddox Freeman 10/31 Edith Mosier Apple Trip Springdale Ministry Men s Bible Study Happy Anniversary Deacon Ordination Fall Festival Set-Up Fall Festival 10/2 Clay & Gregg Williams 10/6 Jason & Julie Jordan 10/15 Michael & Neva Arrington Victor & Darlene Thomas 10/16 Talley & Tara Truesdale 10/18 Donnie & Renee Broughton Scott & Michell Holden 10/23 Scott & Erin Taylor 10/26 Lee & Kristie Williams 10/30 Larry & Vickie Patton 7

8 Malvern Hill Church 1514 Malvern Hill Drive Camden, SC (803) RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED